Long Flight Home? Check Out an eBook!

In 2014, San Antonio became the first airport in the world to offer free eBook checkout, for residents and travelers alike There are two library kiosks, one in Terminal A and the other in Terminal B departure areas.

First, you must download the free Overdrive app onto your smartphone or other device. Then, follow the instructions on the kiosk.

You will first be asked if you have a library card. If you don’t, you will be able to get a free one-day library pass, whether you are a San Antonio resident or not. You will be able to check out up to three eBooks, and they will remain on your device for one week, after which they are “returned” automatically to the library. (If you do have a San Antonio library card, you may check out up to 15 books and keep them for three weeks.) After you make your book selections the library will send you an e-mail or text message that you click on to actually download the book onto your device.

There are thousands of books to choose from, but if you want to extend your Texas vacation, just search for “Texas” and you’ll get hundreds of possibilities. Here are some that we recommend:

Texas: a Novel, by James Michener
If you’ve got a loooong flight, this is the novel to read, 1,000+ entertaining pages spanning 450 years of Texas history. Michener, although born in Pennsylvania, lived his last years in Austin; his archives are at the university there.

Big Red Tequila, by Rick Riordan
Before he became famous for the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” young adult series, San Antonio native Rick Riordan wrote an entertaining series of mystery novels set in San Antonio featuring PI Tres Navare. This is the first in the series.

American Venice: The Epic Story of San Antonio’s River, by Lewis F. Fisher
This is the story of the Riverwalk: how it was built, how it was saved from neglect.

San Antonio Uncovered: Fun Facts and Hidden Histories, by Mark Louis Rybczyk
This is a quirky little book that tells all the oddball stories about San Antonio, past and present.